A/N I did my best to portray this without making trying to make Shepard sound too girly since she isn't.
That night she got into her pj's and sat at her desk rubbing her temples going over the news on her laptop. Reports of Anderson "Assault" on Udina were already up. She dropped her left hand and shook it as she felt the tingly numbness in her pinky and ring finger.
"UGH" She reclined back in her chair in frustration. She stood to stretch her back, it popped loudly several times. The pain was a meager two, just enough to annoy her. She paced the room for a few minutes then lay down on her left side. She placed her right leg in front of her and her right hand on her hip and pushed her upper body in the opposite direction while pushing her hip down towards the mattress giving a loud crack in her lower spine.
"Ahhhh" She gave a deep sigh of relief and switched to the other side. She lay in the center of the bed cuddled her body pillow, which was usually stuffed up against the wall during the day, and was just happy the pain was gone….for now anyway. There was a knock at her door.
"Come in" she called and twisted her upper body so her shoulders lay on the mattress. Kaidan walked in.
"I'm sorry did I wake you?" He asked. She hardly ever gets any sleep between the pain and the insomnia and now I'm bugging her. Great. His inner monolog was brooding.
"No." She shook her head sleepily. She was comfortable for the first time in days there was no chance in hell she was moving from her spot now even if he said Saren was at the door asking to have a tea party.
"You look comfortable maybe I should come back later." He started to back away through the door.
"No it's fine really. I mean I am comfortable so don't expect me to stand or anything special. But I'm fine if you just want to talk or hangout or something." She said lazily from her cozy spot the pain had subsided she didn't even notice it anymore. He walked over to her chair and spun it around to face her.
"Hell of a day." He said slumping down in to the chair. She turned her head lazily in his direction.
"We're a hell of an example of humanity's best and brightest, huh? We mutinied, stole a prototype warship - if they wanted to get technical, they can throw in kidnapping." He sighed closing his eyes and running his hands through his hair.
"I don't know about the "example" part. But as far as saving the galaxy, how good are first-timers supposed to be?" She twisted her neck lightly and it gave off a mall crack on the left then the right
"Fair enough." He said sitting forward in the chair resting his head in his left hand. She shivered and twisted from side to side as she pushed the blankets down for her to get under it. He shook his head.
"How do you sleep in that thing? It's so heavy I woke up in a pool of my own sweat." She smiled and pulled her right leg out from under the covers and pressed the top of her foot to his forearm.
"Jesus your foot is ice!" He exclaimed and grabbed her ankle playfully with his right hand when she tried to retract it. He dropped his left hand and began massaging her foot.
"I'm always cold so this blanket is awesome." She said with a droll in her voice.
"Oh don't get me wrong it was soft as hell, like sleeping with a cloud draped over you but, it's too thick for my taste." He tapped her foot when he was done "Give me the other one." She moaned her displeasure.
"But I'm comfortable." She playfully protested. He chuckled lightly
"Well I would join you but," He looked at her position in the middle of the bed with the pillow occupying the space he had slept in the other night. "I don't think id fit." His voice was flirty yet playful at the suggestion. She smiled up at him and tossed the body pillow behind her and scooted back a little. There went my comfy spot he better accept the offer or I might smack him. He undid his boots and removed them then crawled in next to her.
"You really want that foot massage." He teased. She laughed lightly then dragged her left knee slowly up his leg till her knee touched his chest.
"Damn right I do." He chuckled and placed his hands on her ankle and the ball of her foot. She closed her eyes and made little hums of approval. He wished he could stay with her like this forever.
"It'll really hit the fan when we get to Ilos. If things don't go well, I want you to know – Well, I've enjoyed serving under you."
"Kaidan, I don't think I've had the pleasure of you serving under me." She teased flirtatiously.
"I walked right into that didn't I?" He chuckled "We could get drummed out of the service for fraternization. Of course, we'll probably get the firing squad for mutiny."
"Kaidan you're lying in bed with me massaging my feet and you slept here the other night. I'm pretty sure it's safe to say we've thrown caution to the wind." He let go of her ankle and she slid her leg back down him. She rolled her hips back and bent her legs placing her heels to her backside. She wiggled a little and adjusted herself till her lower back lay flat to the bed. The thumb of her left hand played with her scar that ran down her lips near the right corner. He looked at her tattoo and noticed just at the bend where her bicep meets her joint, a fresh new flower that looked like all the rest accept it was new, like she had just gotten it done.
"You got a new tattoo?" She glanced at her arm momentarily.
"Yea" she said still playing with her lip.
"What are all these flowers for?" He had been meaning to ask her since he first saw that tattoo.
"There is one flower for everyone I cared for who has passed." There were easily twenty individual roses.
"Starting with this one," She pointed to the side of her wrist. "This is Elise. Then a few for people I was close to in my tribe, And finally, Ashley" She referred to the new one. He turned lying on his right side and ran his fingers through her hair. She dropped her left hand to her ribs and took her bottom lip into her mouth chewing on it.
"I think about losing you and I can't stand it" he whispered. She looked him through long lashes. She turned back on her side facing him and scooted closer. She took his right arm and placed it under her side, and slid her left arm between his neck and the pillow and slid her fingers up the back of his neck into his hair. Her right hand rested on his chest and she pressed her lips softly to his. He put his arms around her and pulled her body as close to him as possible. Her lips parted and his tongue started exploring hers. The plastic ball of her tongue ring massaging his. He heard the hum of her biotics and snapped himself away quickly. Her eyes slowly opened in confusion she wasn't prepared for his lips sudden departure from hers. He saw her biotic aura slowly fade away
"What's wrong?" She asked breathlessly. He shook his head lightly
"Sorry Aela, I just," He paused searching for the words. "After what you told me about Calvin and what happened the last time I got carried away I just, don't want you to feel rushed or," He sighed. "I want you but…" He trailed off. She sighed.
"Thank you." She said. "But," She played with the lining of his shirt collar. "I'm not totally broken Kaidan. I spent years talking about what happened with professionals. In fact it was something Hackett made sure I got. I still have to check in with one once every other week. The flash back I had wasn't because I never dealt with what happened. But because I have never actively tried to move on….With another person." She said slowly almost embarrassed. Am I hearing her correctly?
"So," He paused trying to wrap his head around what she was saying. "I'm the first….you have….." She stared hard at her fingers. He studied her for a moment then put his hand under her chin and lifted her head gently to look at him.
"That's not something to be embarrassed of. What you went through couldn't have been easy to deal with. I know your stubborn as hell and don't want to admit it, but its ok to feel weak about this. Weren't you the one telling me talking about this doesn't mean you're weak or whining?" He said reminding her.
"But I don't want you to be afraid of touching me."
"I'm not"
"Yes you are. You just pulled away from kissing me because it started to progress." This time it was him who looked away. He turned over on his back staring intently at the ceiling. Damn it she's right. I'm worried about hurting her unintentionally but I wouldn't say I was afraid of touching her.
"Hell," She sighed "If we're all dead this time tomorrow. I'd regret not being with me." She joked. He gave a small laugh and smiled still staring at the ceiling. She's right about that too. He turned his head back to her and their eyes met. À l'enfer avec elle! I'll just ease into this situation gently giving her plenty of time to back out if she needs to. He rolled back over to her wrapping her in his arms. He moved his lips close to hers almost touching them and said.
"Please warn me before you throw me or anything if you feel overwhelm—" but he didn't get to finish his sentence. She slammed her lips on his hard, invaded his mouth with her tongue. This time it was his own biotics he heard flare as she pushed him to his back then pulled away momentarily to push his shirt over his head and toss it abstractly without looking in the direction it went. Her mouth was about to return to his when he stopped her his hand on her ribs, thumbs above her navel.
"Aela, I'm serious" He panted
"Kaidan if I didn't trust you enough to try this," Her breath was equally as rapid as his. "I wouldn't." His arms gave and their mouths entwined once again. He trailed soft kisses from her chin down her neck. He repositioned his hands on her hips and slid his hands up her sides and hooked his thumbs under her shirt taking it with them on their soft ascension over her body. He tossed her shirt aside and hooked his strong arm around her waist and rolled her over onto her back returning his mouth to hers. She could feel his erection pressing into her left thigh like a rock against her. She hurriedly unclasped the belt of his pants and pushed them as far down as her reach permitted. He rolled over to the side of the bed he had previously occupied and kicked his pants off the rest of the way along with his socks then returned to her in nothing but his boxer-briefs. His left armed was under her providing support for him while cradling her close to him while his right hand kneaded gently at her breast. He trailed kisses down her once again this time he wasn't stopped by the neckline if her shirt and he proceeded down taking the time to suckle gently on each breast. He removed his left arm from under her and pushed himself up sitting on his heels he trailed his hands lightly down her rib cage tracing the faded marks of past trauma and over her curves until they reached her shorts. He hooked his fingers into the elastic of her shorts and panties in one move and slid them down her toned thighs and threw them aside. He ran his hands gingerly over the skin of her legs trialing kissed from her ankle up. The softness of his lips sent shock waves of heat and energy through her. He nibbled on the sensitive skin of her thighs then up to her hip he sucked at her skin and ran his tongue across the area. He just purposefully game me a hicky. If that wasn't placing his flag on her to claim her to him, she didn't know what else would. She had to stop herself form laughing as she though I have been claimed in the name of Canada. It turned out not to be the hard since he quickly found her clit with his lips after that and ran the tip of his tongue over it in rhythmic circles. She let out short rapid pants as she felt a delightful energy start to rush through her as he slid one finger into her slick center followed by another. Her hands tangled in his hair. Her climax was building up and she started to give loud moan of joy, her hands balled into fist in his hair and her thighs shook uncontrollably. His gentle laps turned into soft suckling and that was it, her orgasm ran through her like a tsunami and she cried out his name. Her hands released from his hair as he released his hold on her. She was swimming in the aftermath and barely heard him fumbling around the room for something. She heard the sound of something tearing and then he returned to her. His mouth was on hers again. She could taste herself on him and felt his hard erection in between her legs. At some point, she wasn't quite sure when, he had thrown his underwear over with the rest of their clothes. She placed her hands on his hips her thumbs feeling the taught muscles in his lower abdomen. Her fingers ran up his side and onto his back sending goosebumps over his body. Her nails dug into his back as he slid into her filling her. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she gave a long moan of pleasure. His right hand found its way up to her hair and tenderly his fingers tangled into her long black-brown hair. His left arm slipped under her and his hand airily caressed her shoulder. With all his weight on his elbows, his mouth was near her ear and she felt his hot breath exhale across her neck as he slowly rocked his hips to and from her, letting out his own delightful grunts. She gingerly scrapped her teeth across his right shoulder as she nuzzled her head into his neck. His hips slowly picked up speed and she felt the rapturous rush of energy returning. She panted his name and gave out another cry of pleasure his hips gave a final deep slam into her and she heard his own grunt of satisfaction at the same time. His fingers released from her hair and softly caressed the back her neck and skull his left arm wrapped around her waist under her. He held her in a tight loving embrace and for the first time she though I am safe here.
That was nothing like what Calvin did to me. She thought as he lay beside her his lean muscular arms around her waist as she nuzzled the back of her head. That was...I don't even know. Amazing. It wasn't about getting his own way with me. And the way he touches me is like... She trailed off in thought trying to comprehend how she felt this damn good. She felt his head moved back on the pillow and he asked.
"You're hair..." He started to speak and removed his left hand from her waist and and played with the two inches of hair that had started to grow where she had previously had it shaved.
"Yea I got tired of taking care of it." she jested.
"That'll be interesting to see when it's grown out."
"What you don't think I'll look good?" she tried to sound playful but she only came across as half a sleep.
"Like you could ever not look good." He purred and nuzzled back into her shoulder. She let a soft chuckle and they drifted contently off to sleep.
"Are we seriously about to make this drop?" Kaidan asked nervously as they emerged from the locker room in their gear and made their way to the mako.
"We don't have a choice." Shepard called over her shoulder. Liara came bounding out of the elevator and made a way to the locker room when Shepard stopped her with, "Where do you think you're going?" Liara stopped in her tracks a confused look on her face.
"Ilos is a prothean ruin right? I assumed-"Shepard cut her off
"You assumed wrong" She said coldly as Liara looked over to see Garrus coming from the locker room with a finger adjusting the neck of his under suit.
"But" She started to protest as the group made their way to the mako. Kaidan climbed into the driver's seat prepping it for the drop shaking his head muttering something under his breath in another language. Shepard turned to Liara outside the hatch.
"Look Liara, we don't have any time to waste and I don't need you poking around making us stop at every time you find something interesting." Shepard said curtly. Liara's shoulders dropped in disappointment.
"Ok." She sighed and headed back to the elevator. Shepard climbed in and the passenger seat next to Kaidan who shot her a here goes nothing look.
"Little harsh there Shepard." Garrus said with a grunt as he sealed the hatch behind him. She shook her head.
"We don't have the luxury of being nice right now, Garrus. Every minute wasted is a minute Saren gains and I will be damned if he gets what he's after." Garrus strapped himself in in the back seat not about to argue since she mad a valid point. Shepard patted herself down.
"Where the hell are my cigarettes." She wondered out loud. Kaidan pretended not to hear her but his ears started burning when she stared at him then turned to Garrus who gave a wavy.
"What?" She growled her displeasure they both had a guilty look on their face.
"We'll talk about this later. Both of you." Jokers voiced came in over the QEC.
"Prepare for drop in 3…2…..1"
